Coach's Information

Thank you for taking on the challenge of being a coach for a NJ Chemistry Olympics team. We understand the time, energy and sometime money that you give to support your students. Some things to keep in mind while you are in the process of preparing your students for competition:

Effort always outweighs ability in this competition. This competition asks students to go above and beyond what would be covered in a typical Chemistry class. Choosing students who are devoted and have the time to commit is essential.

Remain a mentor in the coaching process and remember that this competition pushes the students, (not you) to research, discover and design. It is appropriate to point them in the right direction or help them understand more difficult concepts, but remember to use your enthusiasm to guide instead of simply provide.

Students will remember their time preparing for NJCO far better than most classroom experiences, so take advantage of those important lerarning opportunities along the way. I often encouraged students to journal about the process as some have used this experience for their college essay.